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Sunday, February 16, 2014

Combining my two Blog

This will be my last post on Carver's Sight or is that Site? for the foreseeable future. After I publish this post all new posts, following this one, will be on my other blog. You can click here for that blog, Carver's Photographic Journey.I started blogging here in August of 2006 as a way of dealing with Stage III melanoma, the interminable follow up appointments and scans, as well as the physical problems I've had since the groin lymph node dissection. I stayed on edge because I ended up with ongoing and at times debilitating health problems.

When I first started blogging, I used photographs to serve as breathing spaces in between the flow of words. I also used this blog as a way to house links to research, clinical trials, and information about advanced melanoma.

As time went on, I became more interested in photography and less interested in discussing my health issues. When I first started my other blog, I called it Carver Cards and my idea was to have each post on that blog be one large format photograph. Carver Cards was the name I used in the 1990s when I made stationary cards with my flower photography on the front.

I wanted two blogs because my original idea was that I would continue to write about what was on my mind on this blog while keeping the other blog free of health whines.

As time went on, I didn't want to continue talking about myself (other than in terms of nature or other interests) on either one of my blogs and they have both gradually ended up being places where I post photographs and participate in online group themes (Photohunters, Nature Notes and Today's Flowers on this blog and Our World, ABC Wednesday, SkyWatch and the Weekend in Black and White on my other blog).

I will probably continue to participate fairly regularly in the same group themes but there isn't any reason not to do that on the same blog. I decided that Carver's Photographic Journey was a better choice for that purpose. I changed the name of Carver Cards a while back because that blog had become a photographic journey of sorts.

I have a superstitious side which has made me afraid that if I close this blog I'll have a cancer recurrence. The lymph nodes in the basin where my nodular melanoma spread to were removed in March of 2005. I started out with a poor prognosis because my primary was so deep and the melanoma had spread to a lymph node. However, after so many years it is highly unlikely that my melanoma will have spread to an organ or other nodes and even in the unlikely event that it does, I doubt I'll want to talk about it.

I still see a number of medical specialists although I've started streamlining how many I see. I've found that limiting the number of doctors I see is good for my health overall.

I had to give up on most of my exercise efforts and attempts to get back to where I was physically, prior to when all of my health issues began, but I'm starting to walk again regularly which helps me mentally.

I think I'll end it here and continue with my photographic meme posts on Carver's Photographic Journey. However, first I'll digress. I've never understood the word meme. When I first saw meme, I thought it looked like ME ME but found out it's an umbrella word for organized participatory blog themes. I googled meme and found this definition on wikipedia:a meme is "an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture." There is a long article going into the origins and expanded meaning of the word meme which was first used in a book published in 1976 called The Selfish Gene.

When I googled blog memes I found this, also on wikipedia: an internet meme is an idea, style or action which spreads, often as mimicry, from person to person via the Internet, as with imitating the concept. I have to say that I think there should be a better word for the participatory activities on the Internet. It's not imitation when each person is taking a theme and showing their world through photographs, essays, etc.

Also, what I like about the memes I participate in is that I learn more about people from different parts of the world as seen through the eyes of their camera or poetry or essays. Even if I wanted to imitate blogs I visit, that wouldn't be an option because people are sharing their neck of the woods so to speak and we all live in different places, visit different places and have different camera equipment, creative and technical skills. I lied before, I didn't end there, I'm ending here.

I came to "memes" well after you had completed your journey to wellness and so you weren't blogging about it. At first I wondered why you had two blogs, but then one day I followed the links on this one and read your back-story and why you started blogging. I don't think I ever said much about it, because obviously you weren't talking so much about health, but I always admired that you took this path to healing and shared your story -- helping others as well as yourself. (And you made me pay attention to SPF lotion and hats etc...)...

I agree totally about there needing to be a different word instead of memes for what we do. I've used 'sharing sites' occasionally but that's not quite right either....

Whatever the word, I am SO glad I found you through them and I look forward to reading your posts on your one blog, just as I have always looked forward to reading them in two places.

Your bog history is interesting. I can relate to starting with one idea, then it changes. Best wishes with your health. Setting limits on docs seems useful, as long as you find at least one you trust. I have to subscribe to your other bog now.

Carver, I guess I started following you after you had been treated for your illness. I never knew about the melanoma. I am so glad that is over for you! Love the photos. I too really enjoy memes, but I am having trouble getting back "in the swing" after the long dry spells I had over the last months. Keep forgetting when they are! :-) I'll start following you on the other blog. I've been over there at times, but it has been a while.

I did not know of any of your health problems Carver, and I wish you continued good health. I'm not too fond of that word 'meme' either. I want to keep saying 'memay' for some reason. You researched the word well and I love your photos as always. I'm going over to your other blog now and will update by blog roll.

Thanks also for putting up with my Today's Flowers 'memay' lol. Appreciate you leaving your link in the comment section. Links seem to be working now but thumbnails are not and I hope that will resolve itself soon.

Hi Carver, i am so happy for your condition now. I guess ending this one will also signify an analogy that the stage of that part of you ended, and a continuation of life goes wonderfully in the other site. I love your meaningful photos in this last post too, very significant. By the way, you are older than I by 2 years, and we have the same purpose, to have an avenue for our photographs. (On a different note, i hope you try the supplement Lunasin, inventor/scientist is Dr Alfred Galvez. Search Lunasin or Luna RichX and i think this product will help your system in mending itself). Take care!

I really enjoyed this post. I've been hit with a health problem (exacerbated because I had polio when I was five)and I like your attitude - looking forward to other things instead of dwelling on the health issues (though I can see the need for that from time to time also). But you have helped me to begin to climb up out of my pit and embrace life again - not as a patient - but viewing myself as a person again - and beginning to limit the number of doctors I see. Now on to you other blog - I know it is going to be interesting. Your photos on this post are fabulous. Thank you.

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Me and my blogs . . .

I like to take photographs and I use blogging as a way to share my photography. I started blogging for other reasons but no longer feel the need or have the desire to write beyond a narrative for my photography.